She captures an authenticity that most filmmakers can only dream of.

Lush visuals and weaving narrative aside, the key aspect in the movie’s magic is the cast’s believability. Specifically, young Romanian actress Catinca Untaru. Her portrayal of an inquisitive and mischievous young girl has to be the most remarkable child acting ever put to film. I usually hesitate to give such an absolute statement, but there really can’t be enough praise for the ten-year old. Rumour has it that she was never given a full script, but rather just a general idea of what the scene was going to be about, and she was left to her own initiative to respond accordingly. Whether or not this is true, the fact remains that she captures an authenticity that most filmmakers can only dream of.